1. Field Of the Invention
The present invention relates to nail clippers such as fingernail clippers and toenail clippers.
2. Art Background
The function of nail clippers is to clip excessively long nails. A conventional nail clipper typically incorporates two opposing spring arms and a lever. Each of the spring arms terminates in a sharp cutting edge. The application of force to the lever causes these cutting edges to be brought together, and a nail placed between the cutting edges is thereby clipped.
The conventional nail clipper design, however, suffers from a number of shortcomings. First, the conventional nail clipper design fails to restrain nail clippings. As a result, nail clippings often disperse in unpredictable directions making clean up a problem. Second, the conventional nail clipper fails to cut the nail into a free piece with each action of the nail clipper. As a result, the user must often rotate the clipper along the edge of the nail, in a piecemeal fashion, until an awkwardly large piece is cut. Third, the conventional clipper design, in both its shape and weight distribution, typically fails to optimize handling and ease of operation.
A number of alternative designs have been proposed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,090 (1988), for example, Grassi discloses a design utilizing a flexible cushioning member, a spring arm with a special opening, and a separate, plastic sleeve container which slides over the nail clipper. Unfortunately, in order to empty the Grassi nail clipper, the user must slide the sleeve free and clear of the nail clipper body. This sleeve can easily be lost or broken. Moreover, the necessary sliding motion down the full length of the clipper, with complete separation, is both clumsy and likely to eventually wear down the separate plastic sleeve. The design of the sleeve with a bottom recepticle also greatly increases the size of the clipper, thereby hampering its portability and ease of use. Lastly, the use of a flexible cushioning member and a spring arm with a special opening do not insure that the nail clippings will, in fact, pass into the bottom recepticle. Nail clippings may become lodged in the remaining space within the nail clipper body. As a result, two things, the nail clipper body and the bottom recepticle may have to be empied.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,644 (1991), Goench describes a nail clipper incorporating a rigid retaining box permanently affixed to the bottom spring arm disposed around a rivet. The Goench design suffers from the fact that the retaining area is small, thereby necessitating frequent emptyings. Gaining access to clean the inside of the rigid retaining area is also very difficult. The Goench design additionally suffers from the fact that the user must empty the clippings from the front of the clipper. Accordingly, each and every nail clipping must pass through the narrow space between the rivet and the sides of the retaining box, as well as the narrow space between the cutting jaws in the front of the clipper. User frustration is likely.
Lastly, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,771 (1991), Williams discloses a design also utilizing a sliding sleeve for retaining nail clippings. The attachment of this sleeve to the nail clipper is disadvantageously complex. Bolts and sleeves with internally threaded bores and enlarged heads are used. In addition, once the sleeve is attached, gaining access to clean the insides of the sleeve and nail clipper is cumbersome at best.